This invention relates to a tilting support type conveying system and particularly to such system for selectively distributing of individual loads between a loading means and a receiving means, by selective actuation of a plurality of sequentially moving interconnected load carrying and support structures.
The development of modern mechandising systems has required development of various conveying apparatus to accommodate the rapid retrieval and distribution of a plurality of different load items with conveyance to one or more receiving stations.
In particular distributing and sorting conveying devices have been devised for receiving a plurality of elements and distributing them to a plurality of different unloading or receiving stations in accordance with a predetermined plan. Tilting tray structures have been developed including a plurality of tray carriers interconnected to a common chained drive for movement in a generally horizontal plane between one or more loading stations and a plurality of unloading stations. Each of the trays is mounted for tilting to opposite sides for the selective discharge of the load thereon. A memory input unit at the loading station provides for automatic actuation of an unloading device and a particular unloading station for tilting such conveyor at such selected unloading station. Typical conveying systems of the above type are shown in the Speaker et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,510,014, Bishop et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,269,520 and the Imsberger U.S. Pat. No. 3,150,763. In the Speaker and Bishop patents individual tray structures are centrally, pivotally mounted to a carriage which, in turn, is interconnected to a chain drive. The several tray structures are mounted and latched in a horizontal transporting position. At an unloading station a latch release and tilting mechanism is provided which moves into the path of a selected tray assembly and provides automatic releasing of the latching structure and positive tilting of the interconnected tray structure. The Imsberger U.S. Pat. No. 3,150,763 discloses a somewhat different tray tilting construction wherein the tray structures at the several unloading stations are formed into a pair of half members which are separated. A pusher system extends upwardly between the trays for pushing of the load along the horizontal surface defined by the various horizontally disposed tray structures. The tray structures are interconnected by a suitable pivot support which extends downwardly beneath the pusher mechanism to define a single interconnected supporting surface. When a load is to be discharged the tray structure, as a unit, is tilted to either side to correspondingly provide for gravity discharge of the related load.
A split V-shaped tray design has also been suggested wherein the support tray is split longitudinal with each half separately pivoted to a discharge position. Each member is individually pivoted and includes a latch means selectively holding the members in a transport position and releasing of one-half of the load support for discharging of the load. The split tray halves in a transport position extend upwardly from the horizontal to define a generally shallow V-shaped supporting member. The individual tray halves are pivotally dropped to a discharge position with the released split tray half projecting downwardly as a planar extension of the opposite half which is maintained in the transport position.
Although the horizontal tray supporting devices of the prior art with the double tilt to the respective sides have provided a satisfactory discharge system for distributing conveyors or the like, there has been a continuous demand to increase the speed of operation and the reliability of the discharge of the load from the support at a particular unloading station.